Phillips Idowu has 'turned his back' on his coach, says Charles van Commenee

World triple jump silver medallist Phillips Idowu has cut off all contact with
his long-term coach, Aston Moore, and turned his back on the system that has
funded him for the last 12 years, according to UK Athletics head coach
Charles van Commenee.

On his own: Phillips Idowu decided not to join the other Team GB athletes at their training camp in PortugalPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

The Dutchman admitted that he was perplexed by the athlete’s “bizarre” behaviour following his decision to pull out of the team’s warm-weather training camp in Portugal 11 days ago and put himself in the hands of a private physiotherapist in his battle to recover from a leg and hip injury.

“Up until about two weeks ago Aston Moore, his coach and the person I work with very closely, was in regular contact and had seen him in training a number of times,” said Van Commenee. “But that contact died. A brief text message about a week ago and that was it.”

Idowu’s recovery from a trapped nerve that has prevented him from competing since the beginning of June is now being monitored by the British Olympic Association, who invoked a clause in his contract last week and requested sight of his medical records.

BOA chief executive Andy Hunt said earlier this week that he fully expected Idowu to be fit enough to compete in his qualifying round next Tuesday, but Van Commenee said he remained in the dark over when, or if, Idowu would be turning up in the athlete’s village.

Van Commenee admitted that he was concerned that Idowu’s self-imposed exile from the UK Athletics set-up could have a serious impact on his prospects in London.

“It's not great, obviously, because I know how important coaching is in the direct preparation for an ultimate performance,” he said. “That's the reason we go on camp, so athletes have 24/7 contact with the coaches and the support staff.

“Now Phillips decided not to join the team and by definition in my eyes he compromises his preparation. If I thought differently, I would not put the camp on.

“I find it bizarre. Aston finds it bizarre. But we have to deal the situation as it is presented to us. He’s under the wing of the BOA at the moment and we’ll support when that’s needed, like we always have.

“UK Athletics has supported Phillips Idowu for about 12 years, financially for a big part of those 12 yeas in terms of providing training accommodation, camps, medical support, psychological support, biomechanical support and coaching support.

“We pay the salary of his coach, our coach, so I’m perplexed that the last two weeks before the Games he turns his back on us, and I’ve got no idea why.”